Author's Note: Alrighty folks, we're gonna start skipping ahead in time to start getting this story rolling a bit faster. I don't know how close to the timeline I'll be going from now on, so far it's somewhat close to Smeyers. Thanks for sticking around for my little tale, I'm not sure how long this fic is going to be but I'm guessing around 40ish chapters, and I plan to do a sequel, but we'll see once we get there...

Also, I know it's been a while since I updated, I'm really sorry for the wait! My computer has been on the fritz, as well as my laptop and I've only just got access to all my writing again. There may be more random lapses in the future until I can get some new parts in. Again, I'm really sorry, though, your eagerness thrills me! Haha! Enjoy!

Chapter 26 – Choices and Sacrifices

The weeks after Bella's introduction to my family passed comfortably. Time with Bella was odd, feeling often equally too fast and slow. The passing of time was already a strange thing for an immortal and somehow, Bella seemed to make it even more peculiar.

I cherished the time we had, enjoying ever lazy afternoon lounging at each other's residences; every kiss or touch, and even, the rare moments when an argument sparked between us. Every moment felt like a gift with Bella and I was going to sear it into my very being for all of eternity.

I spent nearly ever waking hour with Bella and even most of her sleeping ones. She asked me every night to stay and eventually, she didn't have to ask. I would simply return in the night when I knew her father was in bed. My family was not too keen on this development of our relationship and I did feel a tad guilty leaving them by the way side. But my excuse to myself, and to them, was that I had forever with them – I didn't have that kind of certainty with Bella, and I wouldn't force this damned life on her – no, if I had my way, Bella would never know the torture of our bloodthirsty existence. A possibility that Alice reminded me of time and time again, and one that was the source of our nearly constant arguments when I had the misfortune of being alone with my pixie sister.

Most of the members of my family understood and so they didn't push me to stay home too often. But the one member of my family who was always able to reel me in was my mother. One fleeting thought of her missing my performing, our art theory discourse, or our casual late night talks over the kitchen island and I would hesitate at the door before resigning to staying in for the night.

And one of the best things about Bella – was her ability to capture nearly anyone's heart – without her even seeming to mean to. Her and Emse were bonding quickly, my mother feel in love with her the moment she heard Alice declare my love for Bella that fateful night around the dining room table. They were both in love with her before I even accepted I was.

The only one who had yet to warm up to Bella was still my fiery sister – my first sibling, the source of my headaches and near constant pain in my ass, though Alice was becoming a rival for that spot nowadays. Funnily, before Bella, Rose and my relationship was one of love-hate. We fought at a near herculean level but we would eventually forgive and disregard in the end. Carlisle always said Rose and I were too much alike, resulting in our near constant butting of heads. This was something he said away from Rose, though, as the first time those words left his mouth Rose nearly threw him out the living room windows.

The family began encouraging Rose an I to spend alone time together, trying to mend the mote that had grew larger between us since Bella's entrance into our lives. And that was where I was now, sat on a large boulder in the Olympic Peninsula wilderness watching my ardent sister take down a large elk with grace the Queen herself would envy. I'd already had my fill of a few deer and an unlucky mountain lion, so now all I had to occupy myself was my own mind; which was currently replaying my time a few days prior with Bella, the last time I'd seen her since the sun decided to make an appearance.

"Can you please tell Alice to stop trying to make me go to prom?" Bella said as we sat on her living room couch after school, "I really hate dances."

She was running her fingers through my hair as I lay my head in her lap, my eyes closed contently. "Alice is a force to be reckoned with – but I'll mention it – again." I frowned, "Why don't you want to go? I'd love to dance with you."

"Who said I'd ask you if I did go?"

I opened my eyes to see her smirking down at me, "Well, who would you ask then?" I crooned, letting a mischievous smile spread across my face. "Not Mike Newton, I hope."

"Mike isn't so bad..." She tried to keep her face neutral but I could see her nose wrinkling.

"In that case," I looked down at my nails absently, feigning indifference, "maybe I'll ask Lauren Mallory or better, Jessica Stanley... she'd dance with me, I think."

I superstitiously glanced up at Bella and saw her eyes flash and narrow my way, "That is," I smirked pulling myself form her lap and leaning into her, face to face so that she had to lean back into the couch to avoid us knocking heads, "unless my girlfriend would go with me – don't you want to dance with me, Isabella? Bodies pressed together, looking into each others eyes and swaying all night?" Letting my breath waft over her, I watched smugly as she struggled against her natural response to my allure. She blinked rapidly as her breathing picked up and her heart beat quickened. I smirked at the lovely blush forming across her cheeks and waited patiently for her to recover.

"I-I can't, even if I wanted... which I don't." She finally gulped out.

I furrowed my eyebrows, caught off guard, I expected more resistance but not this – why couldn't she go? She most certainly could, maybe she didn't know this? Juniors and Seniors were both invited to prom... if it was about money, I'd pay. It was my duty as her suitor, of course.

"Why can't you go?" I asked, "I'll pay for the tickets, of course, and even your dress – "

"It's not about money," She glared at me, annoyed at my assumption. "I have plans to go back to Ilvermorny."

My eyes widened and my heart sank. Back to Ilvermorny? She was leaving Forks? Why hadn't she told me this? She must have seen my panic, because she grabbed my face in her hands and rushed out an explanation.

"The final Quidditch match of the year is in May, I told Cole I'd come to see them play and I'd really like to see my friends..."

I had no idea what this Quidditch was but I felt relief that this seemed to be only a weekend trip, not her leaving for good. "So you're coming back?" I asked hesitantly still, feeling like I was struggling to bring my mind back from its sudden panic descent.

"Of course," She pinched her eyebrows together and tilted her head, "I'm just not sure if I'll be back in time for prom... it's the same week, I think."

"Oh, of course... " I mumbled still recovering, she pouted and then pulled my head towards her, giving me a soft kiss with her warm lips.

"I should only be gone for a day or so," She said, clearly trying to cheer me up, "Unless, Edward, do you want to go with me?"

"What?" My eyes flicked to hers, snapping me back to reality. I sat back into the couch as I tilted my head looking at her, "Go to your school?"

"Yeah," She smiled and sat up too, "they allow families to come watch for the final match, it's a big deal, the cup and all. I plan to go with Cole's family, but I'd love for you to go – see Quidditch and well, you could meet my friends..."

She blushed and looked down at her hands, wringing them nervously. I smiled and reached to stop her, "Of course, I'd love to." I murmured as I squeezed them reassuringly.

"Really?" She asked surprised, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Of course," I brought her hands to my lips and kissed them, "why wouldn't I want to meet your friends and see this... Quidditch... thing?" The word felt weird in my mouth, and I stumbled over it a bit.

She laughed, "It's a sport – you fly on brooms and toss balls around."

"Emmett would love that," I smirked, he'd not stop talking about it since he'd heard and always had a million questions whenever Bella was around.

"Hey!" She sat up a bit straighter and stared at me in excitement, "Would your family come? Emmett could see flying! Flying like no other!"

"I'm sure some of them would," I said thinking, Carlisle might not be able to get the days off so suddenly and of course, there was Rose... "I'll ask."

She smiled wide and threw her arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly as I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Oh, Edward! I'm so excited!" She exclaimed, before placing a trail of kisses from the hallows my collarbones to my jaw, I shivered –

"Anyone ever tell you, you shouldn't make a face or it'd get stuck like that?" Rose smirked, her voice suddenly breaking me out of my thoughts. "Or well, it unfortunately seems it's already stuck for you, I'm afraid."

I glared at her and grumbled, "What face?" Not even sure what my face had been emoting.

"You know what face," She jumped up and perched next to me, "You act like it's been years since you've seen the girl, you can survive a few days."

I ignored the fact that she still refused to use Bella's name, "Don't act like you aren't the same when Emmett's gone," I quirked an eyebrow at her.

She scoffed, "I am not, but if I was – it would be understandable." she shrugged.

"And why is that?" I asked flatly.

"Well, our love makes sense, you know, mate bond and all. Where as..." She trailed off, wafting her hand and rolling her eyes before turning away from me and looking out over the valley in front of us.

I bit back the retort I wanted to throw at her. I promised Esme and Carlisle I'd try to mend things with Rose, even though, I felt completely justified in my feelings towards her currently. I settling my eyes instead on a hawk who was flying high above. I watched it swoop down a few miles off into the trees, wondering what it would be like to really fly. The closest I'd ever felt what real flying might feel like was when I ran, it was a thrill I no doubt would enjoy. I was looking forward to seeing Quidditch, though I still couldn't wrap my head around people actually flying on brooms – it just sounded so odd – and hilarious.

"How long do you plan to keep this up?" Rose whispered into the silence, breaking me out of my musing once again.

I blinked and looked back towards her, "Keep what up?" I asked, her mind was blank, not giving me my answer silently.

She sighed heavily, "You know, this human act?" Her voice was surprisingly lacking in her usual ire, "Why are you doing this to her?"

Why'd she have to ask the one question I actually worry about all the time?

Why was I doing this to Bella?

Because you're a selfish creature, a voice in my head muttered in disgust.

I shook my head, "It's not an act, Rose. I know you don't – understand, my and Bella's relationship, but to me – it's the same as yours with Emmett." I swallowed heavily, "And as far as her, I will stay until she asks me to leave, which she will undoubtedly do one day."

God, I hope she does, I thought, even as my heart broke.

"She's human, Edward, the bond is only for vampires and you know that."

I glared at her, "You don't know that, even I don't know that – I just know what I feel – and it's like nothing I've ever felt. Don't insult my feelings like that, I would never do that to you or anyone in our family." I growled.

She sighed heavily, "Then why are you doing this to yourself? If the bond is as strong as you say it is, why? She will die one day, Edward."

"Yes, she will."

She will live a long happy life, If I had any say in it...

"So you don't – "

"Plan to change her?" I interrupted, "No, of course not."

Rose stared at me with surprise, even though she'd heard the many arguments between Alice and I, it seemed she was under the impression I had changed my views.

Then why are you doing this to yourself? She thought sadly.

We stared at each other, my face unwillingly crumpling with pain and hers surprisingly soft, she reached out and gripped my hand.

"I can't stay away, Rose, you saw that. It's like there's a string between us, pulling us together – I have to... I want to enjoy this while I can..." I trailed off, looking down at the hand in my own – long, slender pale one, so different from the small, warm, creamy porcelain one that was usually there. I tried to imagine Bella's looking the same and felt a stab of pain at the imagine conjured. It both disgusted and thrilled me and I hated myself for it.

So she's really that great? Rose thought and she tried to hide the image of Bella that formed in her mind as she compared it to her own flawless one.

I chuckled despite the annoyance that grew at her comparison, Rose was trying, that was a huge step. "She's perfect," I murmured. "I wish you would try and get to know her..." Her eyes flashed and she pulled her hand from mine abruptly; looking back to the valley, wrapping her arms around her self tightly.

I grimaced, maybe I'd spoken my wish too soon. Rose was about as hard to read as Bella was sometimes, and I had the advantage of her thoughts to guide me.

Rose was silent for a long time before she finally thought rapidly, You may think she will choose a human life one day, Edward, but we all see how she looks at you – even if I don't understand it. She scoffed, shaking her head. One day she will ask you to change her and what will you do then? When she pleads, when she begs?

"That wont happen," I growled, growing tired of this same argument that Alice has thrown my way time and time again. At least I knew Rose wouldn't threaten me with her changing Bella herself, as Alice had begun to do so frequently.

It will, Rose thought sadly, letting her arms drop from their tight embrace around her midsection, and I will hate her for it.

I growled, slamming my fists into the boulder as I pushed myself off it's surface, leaving two large indents as I went. I paced on the ground below for a few moments, rubbing a hand roughly over my face. I sighed, turning back towards her. "Rose – "

"She's giving it all up!" She cried suddenly, interrupting me as she jumped up to her feet, towering over me from the boulder. "Everything! Everything I ever wanted! Everything I still want..."

I stared up at her – my first sister, my first friend, despite our rocky relationship – she had always been there for me, first and foremost and felt my dead heart break for her. I knew, as did our entire family, that her one wish was to be a mother, to have a family and to grow old watching that family bloom until her dying breath. If anyone deserved that chance, it was her, even more than me, though I craved it nearly as much as her – more now that I had Bella – but Rose's end was so violent and brutal that no one could fault her yearning for such a thing.

I wanted to comfort her, but I knew she wouldn't let me, she had Emmett for that; and at the end of the day, she couldn't put her own wants and wishes on Bella. No matter how right she felt those were, no matter how much I wished – prayed that Bella would never want this life, none of us could make that choice for her. What she wanted, what she craved in life, was hers to make – her gift, her precious ability to change and grow. That was where she was different from us, she had the choice, and none of us could take that from her as life had so brutally done to us all.

I jumped back up on the boulder and pulled her into a hug, hoping she'd take this small offering of my understanding. She stiffened before gripping me around my shoulders and relaxing. I spoke hesitantly, "If Bella one day did want this life, Rose, it would be her choice... we never had a choice, isn't that a good thing? Even if we don't agree with it? A choice, wouldn't we all have wanted that chance?"

She stiffened again and whisper, "I would have never – "

"Of course you wouldn't have," I smiled softly, "but we have to respect the differences we have with others, even I will have to respect that, if Bella did ever choose that. I will hate ever second of it but if she decided that motherhood, growing old, normalcy, all that was not for her... I'd have to respect her choice... the one thing none of us ever had."

I tugged her off the large rock, back towards the trail that would lead us towards our home as she shook her head sighing. "I-I can't promise... to be nice to her, Edward, it's too painful." She looked up at me sadly, "I will try, but I just don't know if I will be able to accept such an absurd choice... I can't fathom why anyone would want this."

"Thanks, Rose." I snorted.

She smirked, Sorry, you just aren't that great – I don't get the appeal – though, you aren't such a bad brother when you get your head out of your ass. She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully, And compared to any human man, you're a catch, really.

"Thanks?" I chuckled. She laughed and we walked in silence for a bit before I turned towards her with a crooked smile and raised eyebrows, "Wanna race home?"

She glared at me, "You know you'll win, how is that fair?"

"I'll give you a head start?" I offered, smiling wider.

She rolled her eyes, fuck that, and then dropped my hand, go! and took off into the trees.

I chuckled shaking my head before sprinting after her, catching up with ease and overtaking her – making it back home as the sun set over the mountains.

It was a week from our planned trip to Ilvermorny, I was up in my room trying to distract myself from Bella and Esme who were currently talking and working in the garden. Esme was delighted by Bella's knowledge in the garden. A mandatory subject at school, Bella said; and while it was focused on tending to magical plants, it wasn't too different from regular gardening. Bella readily offered to help Emse with her own impeccable garden and Esme's joy was infectious.

None of the rest of us enjoyed the hobby, though Carlisle and even myself would sometimes offer some assistance and company when she worked there. Carlsile, mostly, because he loved Esme and wanted to make her happy and spend time with her; and me, because I enjoyed the quiet work and the joy it brought my mother.

But now Esme had someone who was not only knowledgeable but enthusiastic; and it made me incredibly happy to see them together. So, okay, maybe I wasn't distracting myself as much as I was pretending; because I was very much tuned into their quiet conversation.

Esme was currently pruning some roses as Bella sat on her knees next to her, fiddling with a garden shovel absently. Esme seemed to know as much as I did that Bella was itching to say something, she waited patiently for her to work up the courage to speak. She smiled softly when Bella finally sighed softly and spoke.

"Do you ever want to work outside the house, like Carlisle?"

Esme thought for a moment, curious at the line of questioning. "No, not particularly. I'm sure you've noticed, but I am quite the homebody."

"And that makes you happy?"

"Yes," Esme smiled as she glanced at Bella, "I get to do everything I love here, garden, make art, read, decorate, take care of my family... and when I do want to work, I take on freelance or buy a house that needs fixing. I am very content in my life."

Bella sat thoughtfully, now looking out into the trees and towards the river. "And do you enjoy dressing up and parties?"

"I think we all enjoy that," Esme said thoughtfully, still pondering the direction of Bella's questions. "it allows us to do something normal, yet exciting... we don't get that opportunity too often."

Bella hummed, pouting her lips in thought.

"Why do you ask, dear?"

"Oh, well... you know, the prom is coming up..."

"Yes, I've heard." Esme glanced up from her work momentarily, "The others are quite excited."

"Even Emmett and Jasper?" Bella smirked.

"Well, they enjoy making their partners happy – but they do enjoy the chance to show off, of course."

Bella snorted and Emse giggled. They fell into a comfortable silence and I wondered what that was about until Bella spoke once again.

"I guess, I should do what would make Edward happy too."

what does she mean? Esme thought as she turned to Bella curiously.

Bella answered her silent question. "Edward would enjoy going to the dance," She said softly.

Oh! the dear... Esme thought fondly, so selfless...

"He would," Esme voice aloud, "but he'd also want to do whatever made you happy, dear."

"But he likes to dance..."

"Yes, he does." Esme agreed, "But he's also been to plenty of dances," She thought for a moment, "of course, not with a partner."

"Never?" Bella asked surprised, eyes wide.

"You're the only girl he's ever brought home, surely you know that?" Esmes smile was blinding and Bella couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, I know – but he's never... gone with anyone?"

"No. He would go to support one of us, but never took anyone as his plus one."

Bellas eyebrows furrowed, "But, that's sad isn't it? He's always alone..."

Oh, the dear!

"Yes, it is... I always wished he wasn't alone, prayed he'd find someone... but now he has, dear and he's not alone anymore."

"So I should do this for him."

"If that is what you want." She patted her hand affectionately. "I'm sure Edward would be more than ecstatic."

I was a bit stunned by the turn of their conversation, openly staring down at their forms in the garden, wondering what changed Bella's view of the prom so suddenly.

Esme glanced towards my room subtly. I know you're listening, she chided playfully, better tell Alice to get your suit ordered – maybe a dress for Bella while she's at it. Don't let Alice go too crazy, though.

I pulled out my phone to send Alice a text, my siblings were out hunting and Carlisle was still at the hospital, but like always, Alice was already five steps ahead of us all.

A: Already ordered!

I chuckled.

E: Thanks, Alice.

I hoped Bella would enjoy herself. I would make sure she did and felt as comfortable as possible. She was so selfless and it warmed my heart she'd changed her mind simply to make me happy. It was true, I was ecstatic to take her dancing, I'd never had the opportunity. I'd been to parties and I'd danced plenty of times. Before we had our entire family I'd been to many functions with Carlisle, then Esme and then Rose; after that they became a bit depressing, the obviousness of my eligibility was a bit overwhelming. But I'd never been with someone I was courting and my turn of the century heart revered in the opportunity.

I'd have to make it up to Bella, give her something in return for all her selflessness; and if she'd let me, I was pretty sure I knew something that might thrill her.